


Things to Come

by aykayem



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 23:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aykayem/pseuds/aykayem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Theo's life is finally settling down in the way he's always wanted it to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things to Come

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greatdisorder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatdisorder/gifts).



It was just another of those wonderful, warm days where Theo was grateful he was still alive. There was something to be said for spring in London, especially now that the war was over, now that the trials were over, now that they could just step back and be themselves without fear of being in the spotlight. The days passed now without effort, where he could just drift into the background as yet another nameless wizard. Brown hair, brown eyes, and nothing truly remarkable about him. He liked it that way, though he could certainly make it so that he was remarkable; he could make it so that everyone turned their head when he walked by, but he didn't want to. Not when they would point and jeer and mutter under their breath about Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. Not when it would draw the sort of attention to him that he really didn't want. Hogwarts was one thing, when the attention was for good reason; now, he was content to let things go by easily, living and let live.

It helped that he had Carina right next to him all the while, holding his hand without shame though she almost had more to lose. She did have more to lose, once upon a time, and her fall from grace had been the most crushing thing: he remembered vividly the night she called him over, showed him the Mark, and promptly burst into tears. He remembered the way his heart had both broken and swelled with more adoration for her than it ever had in the past. He couldn't imagine a life without her there, and he got the feeling that she felt the same way.

They sat now in a small Muggle cafe, hidden half from view by the shadow of a patio umbrella set up above them. It was the safest either of them had felt, he knew; he could tell in the relaxed way she sat, her fingers running against the cool ceramic of her mug as she chatted to him. She was beautiful, Theo thought, unable to tear his eyes from her; she was beautiful, and she knew it. She was allowed to. After everything she'd been through - they had been through, since he'd refused to let go of her hand for the duration of the thing - she was allowed to sit there and smile her quiet smile, let her eyes wander around the streets and land finally on him. She was allowed to enjoy herself, and let herself live a comfortable life.

He would be there with her, he knew. There was no two ways about it.

"You're not listening to me," Carina pouted, and Theo let his smile grow wide, pulling at his mouth.

"You're right; I'm not."

"Why?"

"I was too busy thinking."

She rolled her eyes, wrapping her hands tighter around the mug, trying to suck up the residual warmth from her tea like it was escaping through the sides instead of the top. "Better have been something good, to have distracted you from me."

"I was thinking about you," Theo pointed out, his smile tugging wider yet. It felt like his face might actually crack, like it could just split straight in half, the sheer happiness moving to engulf them both in a bubble.

Her pout faded a bit at that, as the words sank in, and her cheeks began to flush softly. He knew she hated it when they did that, knew that she cursed her pale skin for showing her thoughts and feelings when she didn't want them to. Her guard was always down with him now, but that didn't change that innate sense that she still wanted a little control over things.

Instead, Carina just leaned in around the table, kissing him softly; he returned it happily, one hand lifting away from his own mug to brush her hair behind her ear, his fingers grazing the side of her throat. In the sunlight dusting their table, the engagement ring, given to her by him, on her finger glinted, a sign of hope and things to come.

**Author's Note:**

> 


End file.
